Plugboard actuating mechanism



Jan. 31, 1967 K. N. KAROL ETAL PLUGBOARD ACTUATING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2l, 1965 .NM W.

Il I n l Jan 31 1967 K. N. KARoL ETAL 3,302,065

PLUGBOARD ACTUATING MECHANISM HUIg in" 1U @n y? United States Patent O3,302,065 PLUGBUARD ACTUA'IING MECHANISM Kenneth Norman Karol and ToreRudolph Johnson, both of Harrisburg, Pa., assignors to AMP Incorporated,Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed Dec. 2l, 1965, Ser. No. 515,403 3 Claims. (Cl. 317-99) Thisinvention generally relates :to plugboard assemblies for electricalaccounting machines, computers and the like, and in particular to themechanism for effecting an operative interconnection between the movableplugboard and xed plug-board of such assemblies.

It has become the prevailing practice to provide in electrical computingmachines a xed panel on which are arranged `a set of electrical contactsin rows and columns, certain of these contacts being connected to thesensing elements of the machine and the remainder providing terminalsfor the leads connected to the instrument panels that perform theoperative functions of the machine. A control panel cooperates with thexed panel to furnish circuit connections between the contacts associatedwith the sensing elements and in the instrumentalities desired to beoperated according to some predetermined arrangement. Conventionally thecontrol panel is adapted to be detached from the assembly for thepurpose of interchanging such panels whenever a variation in thearrangement of circuit connections is desired, it being common practiceto provide a preset control panel for each of the circuit arrangementsperiodically desired to be set into the machine whereby a particulargroup of computations may be similarly handled in accordance withcertain standard reports to be rendered by the machine.

Generally the control panel is provided with a set of contactsconventionally in the form of removable plugs whereby any preset controlarrangement or modification thereof may be made.

The mechanisms of the prior art for interconnecting the plugboards have,in general, taken two forms, the rst of which -simply comprises a leverwhich is`coupled to and swings the carrier frame about a pivot on thebase of the fixed plugboard. It has been recognized, however, thatinterconnection of the assembly solely by pivotal motion may result inwarping of the control panel due to the uneven contact pressuredistribution arising from engagement of the contacts nearest the pivotconnection prior to those more removed. This defect led to thedevelopment of a second form of plugboard in which the mechanism is rstoperative to position the plugboards mutually parallel with the contactsbeing in an overlapping spaced relationship, and further operative tocause the movable plugboard to slide with respect to the fixed plugboardwhereby the contacts may simultaneously be brought into engagementresulting in an even pressure distribution.

In addition to bringing the plugboards into operating relationship thecontrol mechanism must include elements adapted to cooperate with theremainder of the assembly to perform certain other functions to achieveoptimum results. For example, means for cleaning the contact surfacesmust be provided to assure good electrical conductivity therebetween.Further means for maintaining the assembly against accidentaldisplacement from the interconnected position must also be provided.Space limitations, however, dictate these objectives to be achieved by amechanism of a simple and compact construction. The plugboard assembliesof the prior art, however, include complicated mechanisms which arebulky, diicult to assemble and exepnsive to maintain.

lCC

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved coupling mechanism for plugboard assemblies.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a couplingmechanism for plugboard assemblies which is compact, durable and simpleto assemble and maintain.

A further object is to provide an improved locking arrangement for thecoupling mechanism of the plugboard assemblies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plugboardassembly wherein the contacts are iirst caused to wipe clean a paththereon during interconnection of the assembly then caused to engage ata prewiped intermediate point on said path.

Another object resides in the provision of a member for prepositioningthe movable plugboard relative to the xed plugboard and for taking upwear resulting from movement of the operating mechanism relative to .themovable plugboard.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments arenot intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but aregiven for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in theart may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof andthe manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it invarious forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of aparticular use.

In the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the plugboard assembly constituting apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2 but showing theoperating mechanism in its open position;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 5 through 8 are side elevational views showing the operatingmechanism in its various positions of movement; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 8 showing analternative form of control mechanism.

The objects of the present invention are generally obtained by theprovision of the coupling mechanism for plugboard assemblies in thegeneral form of a sliding block linkage which is further characterizedin that the linkage is stopped in an over center position when theassembly is interconnected. Means are provided to render ineiective thesliding block action of the linkage during a portion of the movement ofthe operating mechanism. The linkage mechanism is operative duringmovement to dead center to lift the movable plugboard thereby causing aset of contact plugs on the movable plugboard to engage and wipe acorresponding set of spring contacts on the fixed plugboard. Movement ofthe linkage mechanism over center completes the interconnection of theassembly and results in a slight dropping of the movable plugboard whichpartially withdraws the plug contact along the path Y of wiping actionfor insuring final contact engagement at a point of good electricalconductivity. In addition the tension of the spring contacts actingthrough the plug contacts and movable plugboard biases the linkagemechanism over center which maintains the assembly interconnected.Referring now to the drawings a fixed plugboard panel of any suitableelectrical insulating material such as phenolic or diallyl phthalate andgenerally designated at A is provided with rows and columns of apertureswhich are adapted to receive therein a set of spring Contact members I0.Cooperating with contact members I to effect the desired circuitinterconnections is a set of plug contact members I2 that are adapted tobe received by a plurality of apertures in control plugboard panel Bwhich also is of suitable insulating material. The panel A is held inposition within a suitable framework comprising side frames I4 and I6and top and bottom cross beams 18 and 20 respectively.

The control or movable panel B is completely separable from the xedpanel A and its corresponding frame assembly. Side frames I4 and 16 aremirror images of each other and therefore only one side frame will bedescribed. The side frame I6 is provided with a grooved end 22 adjacentthe upper end of the frame, groove 22 terminating in an elongated slot24 as best seen in FIG- URE 3. A pair of grooves 26 and 28 are formed inthe side panels and are arcuately shaped along a radius having itscenter adjacent the bottom of slot 24. The arcuate grooves 26 and 28terminate at their inner ends in relieved portions 30 and 32respectively.

The control panel B is provided with three sets of rollers 34, 36 and3S. When it is desired to assemble panel B the rollers 34 are placedwithin grooves 22 and allowed to drop to the bottom of slots 24. Thepanel B then pivots about rollers 34 in a clockwise direction, as seenin FIGURE 3, whereby rollers 36 will enter grooves 26 and rollers 38will enter grooves 28. The panel B will then be positioned parallel withpanel A. However, the plug contacts I2 will be vertically displaced fromtheir corresponding spring contacts I0.

In order to maintain panel B in its position shown in FIGURE 3 there isprovided an elongated spring member 4@ best seen in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.Spring member 40 is secured along one edge thereof between the bottomcross beam 20 and the fixed panel A. Member 4t) is formed at its freeend with oppositely directed bends to constitute a detent as indicatedat 42. Member 4t) is normally in an unstrained position as indicated inFIGURE 2. However, upon initial insertion of the control panel B thespring will be deected downwardly as shown in FIGURE 3 with the detent42 overlying the exposed surface of panel B to thus temporarily retainthe panel in position.

With control panel B positioned and held as shown in FIGURE 3 it is nownecessary to raise panel B into a position whereby there will beelectrical contact between the plug contacts I2 and their correspondingspring contacts titl. This is accomplished by a linkage mechanism to benow described. The side frames I4 and I6 are provided with elongatedrectangular slots 44 which slidably receive a rectangular bar 46. Thebar 46 is disposed on the opposite side of spring member 40 from thecontrol panel B. A pair of links 48 are pivotally secured to the bar 46by a pair of pins 50. An actuating handle 52 of generally U-shapedcontiguration is pivotally secured to side frames I4 and I6 by means ofpins 54. A second pair of pins 56 are carried by the handle 52 and ridein elongated slots 58 formed in the links 48. It is important to notethat the pins 54 and 56 are disposed on opposite sides of the centerline of handle 52, the importance of which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

At the start of the operation of the actuating mechanism the variousparts are in the position shown in FIG- URES 3 and 5. The handle 52 isin the down position and the bar 46 is in engagement with the lower endof slot 44. Spring 4@ is in its stressed condition maintaining the panelB in its vertical position. As handle 52 is moved in a counterclockwisedirection, as seen in FIG- URES and 6, the pin 56 will ride along slot53 causing 4 oscillation of the link 48, however there will be nomovement of bar 46. At some point of the travel of handle 52, dependingon the length of slot 58, the pin 56 will engage the upper end of slot5S and will draw link 48 upwardly thus causing the raising of bar 46. Itis to be remembered that the links being described are actually pairs oflinks, there being one set of link on each side of the frames I4 and 16as seen in FIGURE 1. As the bar 45 ascends it causes the raising ofpanel B and during such raising the contacts 12 will engage the contacts10 and will ride along the surface thereof. It is noted that the bar 46does not contact panel B but rather the force is applied to the panelthrough the intermediate spring 40. This enables the wear to be taken upby the spring,-

which is metallic, rather than by the panel which is of an insulatingmaterial and would be subject to wear. When the links reach the positionshown in FIGURE 7 the panel B will be at its extremity of upwardmovement. This position of the links is dened by the point at which thepins 50, 54 and 56 all lie along a straight line. Continued movement ofhandle 52 into the position shown in FIGURE 8 causes the pins 56 to moveolf center from the pins 54 and Sil thus locking the mechanism inposition in the manner of a toggle joint. The panels A and B will thenbe in the position shown in FIGURE 2. The movement of the linkage fromthe position of FIGURE 7 to that of FIGURE 8 causes a slight lowering ofthe bar 46 and consequently a lowering of panel B. The lowering of panelB is due primarily to the spring forces exerted between the contacts ll@and I2. This slight lowering of panel B is of extreme importance in thatduring the raising of panel B the plug contacts 12 were caused to movealong the surfaces of spring contacts 10 thus wiping the contact areaclean but at the same time causing an accumulation of foreign mattersuch as dust, shavings, etc. which accumulation will be at the tip ofthe plug contacts I2 when the panel B is in its extreme upper position.Therefore by allowing panel B to drop slightly the contacts 12 arecaused to move back to an intermediate position on the contacts 10 whichhave been wiped clean thus separating the contacts I2 from theaccumulated dirt. This backwipe is necessary due to the manyapplications of the plugboard panels wherein a very low current isemployed. The accumulated foreign matter at the junction of the contactswould be suilicient to prevent the passage of the current due to therise in resistance.

FIGURE 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the linkage previouslydescribed. The entire mechanism remains the same with the exception thatlinks 4B', which corresponds generally to the previously described link48, carries a slot 58 which slot engages the pin Sil. The slot 58performs the same function as the slot 58 described in connection withlink 48 in that the desired lost motion between link 48' and bar 46 isprovided. The pin 56', which corresponds generally to the previouslydescribed pin 56, is pivoted to the link 48 whereby a bearing surface isprovided entirely around the pin 56. The advantage of the arrangement ofFIGURE 9 resides in the fact that the provision of the bearing surfacecompletely surrounding pin 56 gives a stronger linkage and a betterguiding function to the bar 46.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art andvarious apparently different modiiications and embodiments may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forthin the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by wayof illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended tobe dened in the foregoing claims when viewed in their proper perspectiveagainst the prior art.

What is claimed is:

I. In a switching arrangement wherein a first array of contacts carriedby a rst member is movable into engagement with a second array ofcontacts carried by a second member, a frame, said second member beingixed relative to said frame, an actuating mechanism carried by saidframe and comprising a bar reciprocable along said frame in a straightline path between a retracted and an extended position, said bar beingoperatively connected to said first member whereby reciprocation of saidbar causes like reciprocation of said first member, a pair of linkspivotally secured at an end thereof to said bar, the opposite end ofsaid links having slots formed therein, an actuating handle pivotallyconnected to said frame and movable between two extreme operativepositions, and pin means fixed to said handle and received within saidslots in said links to effect a lost motion connection between saidhandle and said links, whereby movement of said handle causesreciprocation of said bar from its retracted to its extended position,said bar being operative in its extended position to move said firstarray of contacts into engagement with said second array of contacts.

2. In a switching arrangement as set forth in claim ll wherein movementof said handle into one extreme operative position causes said bar toassume a position intermediate its retracted and extended positions.

3. In a switching arrangement as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidintermediate positioning of said bar is effected by the movement of saidpin means to an over center position with respect to the pivot points ofsaid links and said handle.

4. In a switching arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein a springmember is disposed between said first member and said bar, said springmember serving to initially position said first member and to take upwear caused by movement of said bar,

5. In a switching arrangement wherein a first array of contacts'carriedby a first member is movable into engagement with a second array ofcontacts carried by a second member, a frame, said second member beingfixed relative to said frame, an actuating mechanism carried by saidframe and comprising a bar reciprocable along said frame in a straightline path between a retracted and an extended position, an actuatinghandle pivotally connected to said frame and movable between two extremeoperative positions, a pair of links pivotally secured at an end thereofto said handle, the opposite end of said links having slots formedtherein, pin means fixed to said bar and received within said slots insaid links to effect a lost motion connection between said handle andsaid links, said bar being operatively connected to said first memberwhereby reciprocation of said bar causes like reciprocation of saidfirst member, and whereby movement of said handle causes reciprocationof said bar from its retracted to vits extended position, said bar beingoperative in its extended position to move said first array of contactsinto engagement with said second array of contacts.

6. In a plugboard assembly wherein a first array of contacts carried bya first board is movable into engagement with a second array of contactscarried by a second board, a frame, said second board being fixedrelative to said frame, a spring member fixed relative to said secondboard and being engageable by said first board for maintaining said rstboard in position parallel to said second board with the contacts ofsaid first board being out of engagement with the contacts of saidsecond board, and an actuating mechanism carried by said frame formoving said first board relative to said second board to efectengagement between the respective contacts thereof, a portion of saidactuating mechanism being in contact with said spring member wherebyforce is transmitted by said actuating mechanism through said springmember to said first board for causing said Contact engagement.

7. In a plugboard assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein saidactuating mechanism includes a reciprocating member in Contact with saidspring member and wherein movement of said reciprocating member causeslike reciprocating movement of said first board.

8. In a switching arrangement wherein a rst array of contacts carried bya first member is movable into engagement with a second array ofcontacts carried by a second member, a frame, `an actuating mechanismcarried by said frame and comprising a reciprocable bar movable betweena retracted and an extended position, said bar being in force applyingengagement with said first member, a pair of links pivotally secured atone end thereof to said bar, an actuating handle pivotally connected tosaid frame, said second member being fixed relative to said frame, saidlinks being pivotally secured at a second end thereof to said handle,whereby movement of said handle causes said links to reciprocate saidbar along said frame from its retracted position to its extendedposition, said bar being operable in its extended position to move saidfirst array of contacts into engagement with said second array.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,467 10/1904Bradshaw 200--153 2,802,189 8/1957 Bishop et al. 317-99 X 2,879,4933/1959 Bender 339-18 3,129,044 4/1964 Layman et al. 339--18 3,187,1206/1965 Akst ZOO-17 X ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

M. GINSBURG, Assistant Examiner.

8. IN A SWITCHING ARRANGEMENT WHEREIN A FIRST ARRAY OF CONTACTS CARRIEDBY A FIRST MEMBER IS MOVABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A SECOND ARRAY OFCONTACTS CARRIED BY A SECOND MEMBER, A FRAME, AN ACTUATING MECHANISMCARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND COMPRISING A RECIPROCABLE BAR MOVABLE BETWEENA RETRACTED AND AN EXTENDED POSITION, SAID BAR BEING IN FORCE APPLYINGENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST MEMBER, A PAIR OF LINKS PIVOTALLY SECURED ATONE END THEREOF TO SAID BAR, AN ACTUATING HANDLE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOSAID FRAME, SAID SECOND MEMBER BEING FIXED RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, SAIDLINKS BEING PIVOTALLY SECURED AT A SECOND END THEREOF TO SAID HANDLE,WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE CAUSES SAID LINKS TO RECIPROCATE SAIDBAR ALONG SAID FRAME FROM ITS RETRACTED POSITION TO ITS EXTENDEDPOSITION, SAID BAR BEING OPERABLE IN ITS EXTENDED POSITION TO MOVE SAIDFIRST ARRAY OF CONTACTS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND ARRAY.